The present invention generally relates to communication connector assemblies. More particularly, the present invention relates to a data jack, such as a RJ-45 data jack, that is configured to prevent it from being damaged by insertion of a communication plug that the jack is not specifically configured to work with, such as an RJ-11 telephone plug.
Registered Jack-11 (RJ-11) is a wiring standard that describes wiring specifications for a four-or six-wire connector that is used primarily to connect telephone equipment in the United States. Telephones and facsimile machines are sometimes connected using local area network (LAN) wiring and jacks because an RJ-11 6-wire telephone-type plug will fit into the 8-wire RJ-45 wall jack and a telephone line can be connected to that circuit in the telecommunications closet. Registered Jack-45 (RJ-45) is a wiring standard that describes wiring specifications for an eight-wire connector that is commonly used to connect computers to a local-area networks (LAN), particularly Ethernet networks.
FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate perspective and top views, respectively, of the jack 2 and plug 3 of an RJ-11 connector assembly. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate perspective and top views, respectively, of the jack 4 and plug 5 of an RJ-45 connector assembly. As is evident from FIGS. 1A-2B, RJ-45 connector assemblies look very similar to RJ-11 connector assemblies, except they are somewhat wider than RJ-11 connector assemblies. The jack 2 and plug 3 of the RJ-11 connector assembly have three respective pairs of contact wires, which define three different signal paths. The jack 4 and plug 5 of the RJ-45 connector assembly each have four respective pairs of contact wires, which define four different signal paths.
Due to the visual similarities between the RJ-11 and RJ-45 connector assemblies, and due to the fact that the associated jacks are often located near each other in buildings, people sometimes accidentally insert RJ-11 plugs into RJ-45 jacks. Because the RJ-11 plug is narrower than the RJ-45 plug, the RJ-11 plug can be inserted into the RJ-45 jack. Also, although the RJ-45 jack is not intended to work with an RJ-11 plug, it is possible to wire an RJ-45 jack to work with an RJ-11 plug. Regardless of whether insertion is accidental or intentional, when an RJ-11 plug is inserted into an RJ-45 jack, the RJ-45 jack can be damaged. Specifically, the RJ-11 plug has raised plastic surfaces (FIGS. 1B, 7 and 8) on both sides of the contacts, and when it is inserted into an RJ-45 data jack, the raised plastic surfaces 7 and 8 press against contact wires 1 and 8 and cause them to be deflected beyond their normal limit of deflection when an RJ-45 plug is inserted into the RJ-45 jack. As a result, the contacts become permanently set in this over-deflected position at times. Then, when an RJ-45 plug is coupled to the RJ-45 jack, the contact force needed to keep the contacts of the RJ-45 plug in abutment with the respective contacts of the RJ-45 jack is no longer present or is insufficient, which may result in poor performance.
Accordingly, a need exists for an RJ-45 jack that can withstand insertion of an RJ-11 plug and avoid damage to the RJ-45 jack.
In accordance with the present invention, a communication jack is provided that withstands insertion of a communication plug with which the jack is not configured to mate without being damaged. The communication jack comprises a wire board and a number of contact wires that extend above a surface of the wire board and that are electrically coupled to respective contact regions on the wire board at first ends of the contact wires. The contact wires have second ends that are freely disposed for making electrical connections with corresponding contact wires of a mating communication plug. Each of the freely disposed ends of the contact wires are cantilevered from respective first ends of the contact wires such that the contact wires are capable of being deflected toward a particular surface of the wire board when the freely disposed ends wipe against respective contact wires of the mating communication plug.
Some of the freely disposed ends are deflected toward a certain surface of the wire board to a, lesser degree than at least two opposing, outer freely disposed ends when the freely disposed ends wipe against and are deflected by respective contact wires of a mating communication plug. The freely disposed ends that are deflected to a lesser degree than the opposing, outer freely disposed ends abut the particular surface of the wire board and thus are constrained from further deflection. The configuration of the wire board is such that the opposing, outer freely disposed ends avoid abutting the particular surface of the wire board when the freely disposed ends wipe against and are deflected by respective contact wires of a mating communication plug.
In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the wire board includes two openings formed in the front edge region of the wire board below the opposing, outer freely-disposed ends. The openings allow the opposing, outer freely disposed ends of the contact wires (contact wires 1 and 8) of the jack to be deflected below the particular surface of the wire board when the freely disposed ends wipe against and are deflected by respective contact wires of a mating communication plug. Thus, the opposing, outer freely disposed ends of the contact wires do not come into contact with respective conductive pads on the wire board until the are deflected below the particular surface of the wire board.
The present invention also provides a method for preventing a communication jack from being damaged when it is mated with a communication plug with which the jack is not configured to mate. The method comprises the step of configuring a front edge region of the wire board of the communication jack so that freely disposed ends of at least two opposing, outer contact wires of the jack avoid abutment with a particular surface of the wire board when the freely disposed ends wipe against respective contact wires of a mating communication plug. When the freely disposed ends wipe against and are deflected by respective contact wires of the mating communication plug, all of the freely disposed ends other than the opposing, outer freely disposed ends abut the particular surface of the wire board. The opposing, outer freely disposed ends are deflected through openings formed in the wire board, thereby avoiding abutment with the particular surface of the wire board. Thus, damage to the opposing, outer freely disposed ends is avoided.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, drawings and claims.